Latch and lock mechanism



March 5, 1968 w. E. ATKINSON LATCH AND LOCK MECHANISM Filed July 21,1966 INVENTOR WALLACE EATKmsoN BY v muse-u galmmee, v ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent Office 3,371,511 LATCH AND LOCK MECHANISM Wallace E.Atkinson, Dinwiddie County, Va., assignor. to

Long Manufacturing Co., Inc., Petersburg, Va., a corporation of VirginiaFiled July 21, 1966, Ser. No. 566,848 9 Claims. (CI. 70-71) The presentinvention relates in general to a combined latch and lock structureespecially adapted for application to containers or receptacles havingseparable parts to be releasably secured in closed position, and moreparticularly to a combined latch and lock structure for luggage casesand similar containers having a cover section hinged to a body section,wherein the latching and locking components of the mechanism are locatedin a well member and slidably disposed therein to normally liesubstantialy flush or in semi-recessed relationship with the adjacentsurface of the luggage.

It has been the usual practice for many years in the design andconstruction of combined latch and lock mechanisms for luggage cases andthe like to provide a spring biased bolt on one of the separablecontainer sections which is urged into latching relation with a keeperon the other separable case section whenever the sections are moved to aclosed relationship. If a movable finger piece of some sort wereprovided in such prior devices to permit the operator to overcome thespring bias and release the latch, it usually constituted a projectionor extension from the lock body or casing disrupting the continuity andartistic appearance of the casing.

Recently, it has become very popular in the luggage industry to providea channel shaped extrusion at the line of juncture between the coversection and body section of the luggage, or adjacent this line ofjuncture, commonly referred to as a valance, to provide an outwardlyopening channel or groove extending entirely around the luggage intowhich the lock mechanism and frequently the hinge mechanisms, aremounted so that they are either flush with the surface of the case, ornearly so. An example of such valance strip is found in the Axtellpatent, No. 2,950,793. Such a valance type construction involves the useof a rather expensive valance extrusion, to provide the channel strip,and introduces complexities into the manufacture of the luggage becauseofthe need to incorporate the valance strip therein with the outer edgeof the valance strips substantially flush with the adjacent surface ofthe luggage. Also, when the latch and lock mechanism is to be recessedinto the channel or groove defined by the valance strip, a relativelywide channel must be provided having sufficient transverse width toaccommodate the lock structure.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a novel latch andlock structure which may be assembled with the luggage in semi-recessedrelationship with a wall of the luggage, disposing the outer surface ofthe latch and lock mechanism substantially flush with the surface of thecase, without the use of a valance, or with the use of a very narrowvalance by mounting the structure beside, rather than into, the groovedefined by the valance.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a combinedlatch and lock structure designed to be mounted in a shallow rectangularwell or cup recessed into the surface of the case, having relativelysmall transverse and longitudinal dimensions to occupy only a small areaof the case.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a novelcombined latch and lock structure of the above-defined type, which issimple and compact in construction, attractive in appearance andreliable in opera- Patented Mar. 5', 1968 tion, and which is capable ofmanufacture in an economical manner.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a combinedlatch and lock structure associated with a rectangular shallow well orcup recessed into the surface of the case, wherein the latch and lockcomponents are mounted in a rectangular, slidable 'housing of shallowdepth recessed into the rectangular well or cup for limited longitudinalmovement therein so as to normally lie substantially flush with theadjacent surface of the associated container or luggage, wherein thelimited longitudinal movement of the latch and lock structure within theconfines of the well releases the latch components from latchingrelation with the keeper.

Other objects, advantages, and capabilities of the present inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferredembodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a combined latch and lock mechanismconstructed in accordance with the present invention and shown inposition on a portion of a luggage receptacle;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the latchand lock mechanism;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, to enlarged scale, of thelatch and lock mechanism and associated well member, taken along theline 3-3 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse section view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE3; and

FIGURE 5 is a section view through a plane intermediate the front andrear latch and lock mechanism assembly, taken along the line 55 ofFIGURE 3.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designatecorresponding parts throughout the several figures, the combined latchand lock structure of the present invention is indicated generally bythe reference character 10 and comprises a latch section 11, which may,for example, be mounted on a tray or body portion 12 of the luggagecase, and a keeper 13 which may be mounted on the separable coversection 14 of the luggage case. Such latch section and keeper areusually mounted on the front wall of their respective receptaclesections adjacent the plane of separation between the receptacle bodyand cover, indicated by the reference character 15.

The latch section 11 comprises a well or cup member 16 of generallyrectangular configuration, stamped for example, from sheet metal, havingits major dimensions extending horizontally on the front wall of theluggage case, the well'or cup member 16 having a rectangular wellportion 17 projecting through a suitable accommodating opening 18 cut inthe front wall 12 of the luggage or container. The well 17 is bounded bya planar base panel 19, parallel bottom and top walls 20 and 21extending perpendicular to the base wall 19, and parallel end walls 22and 23 extending also perpendicular to the base wall 19. The marginalportions of the cup member 16 on all sides thereof extend outwardlybeyond the well forming walls and define an integral rectangular frame24 which is designed to butt against the front surface of the wall 12'of the luggage and define mounting and locating flanges to be disposedflush against the surface of the luggage case wall 12'.

Recessed within the well defined by the well member 17 is a rectangularlock housing member 25 having a substantially planar outer wall 26forming the front wall thereof, and inwardly projecting flanges alongthe longitudinal and transverse edges of the panel 26 to form aninwardly opening box-like structure. The spacing between 3 the flanges27 and 27' at the longitudinal edges of the panel 26 is substantiallythe same as the spacing between the well bounding walls and 21 while thelongitudinal spacing between the end flanges 28, 28 is much less thanthe longitudinal length of the wall.

The rearmost edges of the flanges 27, 27, and 28, 28' lie in a commonplane paralleling and spaced rearwardly from the plane of the outer wall26 of the lock housing member and the end flanges 28, 28 near thecenters thereof have notches 29 therein to receive correspondinglyshaped tongues 30 on a bearing plate 31 which longitudinally spans thelength of the housing member 25 and is disposed in the plane of therearmost edges of the flanges 27, 27 and 28, 28'. The center of thisbearing plate 31 has a circular hole 32 therein aligned with the keyadmitting opening 33 in the outer wall 26 to form a journal opening fora rotatable key barrel and bolt member 34. The key barrel and boltmember 34 may be conveniently stamped from a generally circular piece ofsheet metal and comprises a peripheral flange portion 35 and a forwardlyprojected central portion of generally cylindrical configuration,indicated at 36, of appropriate diameter to project through the bearingopening 32 in the plate 31 while the flange portion 35 bears againstportions of the plate 31 bounding the central opening 32. A diametricslot 37 is formed in the cylindrical portion 36 and may project a slightdistance into the adjoining flange portion 35, passing entirely throughthe key barrel and bolt member to receive the key bit. The key barreland bolt member 34 is designed to be slidably supported against theforwardly facing surface of the base panel 19 of the well or cup member16, its peripheral flange portion 35 being held between the bearingplate 31 and the base panel 19 for sliding movement on the base panelwith the lock housing member 25. The top flange 27 has a bend-able tab38 and a hook-like extension 39 disposed in side-by-side relationextending from the rear edge thereof, while the bottom flange 27 has anextension 40 projecting from the rearmost edge thereof of substantiallength along the longitudinal axis of the lock assembly, having a pairof longitudinally spaced bendable tabs 41 projecting therefrom. Thebendable tab 38 and hookmember 39 are designed to be passed through anaccommodating elongated slot 42 in the base panel 19, while theextension 40 and its associated bendable tabs 41 are to be projectedthrough an accommodated elongated slot 43 paralleling the slot 42, afterwhich the bendable tabs 38 and 41 are bent inwardly against theunderside of the base panel 19 to retain the lock housing member 25 inassembled relation in the well or cup member 16. The slots 42 and 43 areof appropriate length paralleling the longitudinal or major axis of thewell member to accommodate an appropriate extent of reciprocativemovement of the housing member 25 between latching and unlatchingpositions.

A circular opening 44 is provided in the base panel 19 aligned with thecenter axis of the key barrel and bolt member 34 when the lock housingmember 25 is at its latched limit position to receive the narrow end ofthe key bit, and is flanked by a pair of outwardly projecting dimples orindentations 45, 45', aligned with the center of the opening 44 along anaxis paralleling the longitudinal axis of the well member 16 to coactwith shallow notches or indentations 46 at two diametrically opposedpoints on the rearwardly facing surface of the peripheral flange portion35 of the key barrel and bolt member 34 to frictionally locate the keybarrel and bolt member at two 180 positions. A further dimple orindentation 47 is disposed in alignment with the dimples 45, 45' alongthe path of movement of the lock housing member from the latched to theunlatched position, to register with the adjacent notch in the flange 35of the key barrel and bolt member 34 as the lock housing member 25 isshifted to the unlatched position, to restrain the key barrel and boltmember 35 against accident-a1 rotation during such movement, theadditional dimple 47 being somewhat elongated if desired. An inwardlyprojected lock tongue 48 is also provided at an appropriate place in thebase panel 19, forming a forwardly or outwardly projecting abutmentlocated immediately adjacent the perimeter of the peripheral flangeportion 35 of the key barrel and bolt member 34, when the lock housingmember 25 is in the latched position, and disposed in the path ofmovement of a portion of the peripheral flange portion 35 between theperimeter thereof and its juncture with the cylindrical portion 36. Aportion of the peripheral flange portion 35, however, is cut awaysubstantially along a chord of the circle defined by the major portionof the perimeter of the flange portion 35, providing a flat 49 whosesurface may become aligned with the surface of the tab or tongue 48nearest the center axis of the key barrel and bolt member 34 so as topermit the flat 49 of the peripheral flange portion 35 to pass besidethe locking tongue 48 when the flat 49 is appropriately aligned with thelocking tongue 48 and the lock housing member is moved from the latchedto the unlatched position.

The hook extension 39 of the lock housing member 25, as will be seenfrom FIGURES l, 2 and 4, is bent at right angles beneath the associatedfront wall 12 in parallelism therewith, to extend to a point near theline of separation 15 between the body section 12 and cover section 14,and is designed to be received in a latching slot 50 in a keeper member13 when the lock housing member 25 is in the unlatched position and thecover section 14 of the luggage is moved to closed position. The slot 50is provided in the right angle flange 51 of the keeper 13, which lies ina plane extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the frontwall 12', the keeper 13 also having a body panel 52 extending from theflange 51 for a desired distance, jointed by an inclined portion 53 to amounting panel portion 54 extending in offset parallel relation to thebody panel 52 and having rivet openings 55 therein to receive rivets 56by which the keeper is se cured to the cover section 14 of the luggage.A lock guard plate 57 is also provided, which is substantially co-eX-tensive with the bottom panel 19 of the well member 16, having rivetopenings 58 therein aligned with rivet openings 59 in the base panelmember 19. The well member 16 and lock guard member 57 are designed tobe placed against the front and rear walls respectively of the frontwall 12' of the body portion 12 and receive rivets 60 through thealigned rivet openings 58 and 59 to secure the assembly in place. Anupwardly opening cavity 61 is shaped in the lock guard member 57 bystamping, providing an inwardly shielded space within which the hookextensions 39 of the lock housing portion can work.

In the assembly of the lock structure, the bearing plate 31 ispositioned with its tongues 30 registered in the notches 29 in the endflanges 28, 28' of the lock housing member 25, the key barrel and boltmember 34 is positioned with its cylindrical portion 36 projectingthrough the circular hole 32, and this subassembly, with the outer wall26 of the lock housing member facing downwardly, is positioned in thewell portion of the well or cup member 16 (likewise in invertedposition) until hook member 39, the bendable tab 38, and the extension40 with its bendable tabs 41, project through the slots 42, and 43 inthe base panel 19 of the well member 15. The bendable tabs 38 and 41 arethen bent inwardly toward each other against the face of the base panel19 which will be disposed inwardly of the luggage to restrain the lockhousing subassembly within the well portion for sliding movement withinthe limits defined by the slots 42, 43. The well portion 17 is thenfitted into the oening 18 cut in the front wall 12' of the body portion12, the lock guard member 57 is positioned against the inside surface ofthe front wall 12' in proper alignment with the well or cup member 16,and the rivets 60 are inserted through the aligned openings 59 and 58and peened over to mount this assembly on the front wall 12. The keepermember 13 is secured in conventional manner by rivets 56 on the coversection 14, the keeper being appropriately positioned so that the slot50 therein will pass the elongated head portion of the hook extension 39when the cover section 14 of the luggage is drawn to closed position andthe lock housing member is in unlatched position,

and so that the flange 51 of the keeper will be aligned with the catchshoulder 39" of the hook extension 39 when the cover section 14 is infully closed position.

In the operation of the latch and lock structure, assuming the keybarrel and bolt member 34 to be in locking position, with the flat 49disposed in alignment with the locking tongue 48, as it must be if thehook extension is to be in unlatched position, the lock housing member25 is shifted from the unlatched limit position to the latched limitposition, projecting the hook formation into the relative position withrespect to the keeper 13 illustrated in FIGURE 5. The key may now beinserted in the key opening 33 and slot 37 of the key barrel and boltmember 34, and turned through 180, rotating the flat 49 out of alignmentwith the locking tongue 48, so that the locking. tongue 48 would be inthe path of uninterrupted portions of the peripheral flange portion ofthe key barrel and bolt member 34 if an effort Were made to shift thelock housing member 25 back to the unlatched position. The registrationof the notches 46 in the peripheral flange 35 with the dimples 45, onthe base panel 19 serve to keep the key barrel and bolt member 34 in thelocked or unlocked position in which it is disposed by a key. Operationof the lock to unlock and unlatch the same are merely the reversal ofthat just described.

While but one preferred example of the present invention has beenparticularly shown and described, it is apparent that variousmodifications may be made therein within the spirit and scope of theinvention, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations beplaced on the invention as are imposed by the prior art and set forth inthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined latch and lock adapted to be mounted on first and secondwall portions of separable parts of a container adjacent a line ofseparation therebetween for securing the parts together, comprising akeeper to be aflixed to the first wall portion, said second wall portionhaving an opening therethrough bounded by interior and exterior surfacesof said second wall portion, a latching unit on said second wall portionincluding a cup member formed of an integral sheet metal stamping havingmarginal flanges disposed in a common plane to be mounted flush againstsaid exterior surface and having side, end and base panel portionscollectively defining an outwardly opening well extending inwardlythrough said opening in nested relation therein from said common planeand elongated along a major axis paralleling the plane of separation,said base panel portion generally paralleling said common plane andbeing spaced inwardly therefrom a distance corresponding to thethickness of said second wall portion disposing said base panel portionsubstantially flush with said interior surface, a movable latch memberof narrower length than said well nested in said well, means slidablymounting said latch member in said well for rectilinear movement alongthe major axis of said well between a latching position and a releaseposition displaced longitudinally from said latching position, and saidlatch member having catch means projecting into selected alignment withsaid keeper for interlocking engagement therewith when said latch memberis in said latching position and said separable container parts are inclosed condition and for releasing said keeper therefrom when said latchmember is moved to said release position.

2. A combined latch and lock as defined in claim 1, wherein said latchmember comprises a latch housing formed of an integral sheet metalstamping having a boxlike body including an outer rectangular panel andinwardly projecting side and end walls at the perimeter thereofextending at substantially right angles to the plane of said outerpanel, said base panel having elongated slots therein paralleling saidmajor axis, one of said sides including bendable tabs extending throughone of said slots in said base panel and being bent thereunder and theother of said sides including a bendable tab and an angle shapedextension defining said catch means.

3. A combined latch and lock adapted to be mounted on wall portions ofseparable parts of a container adjacent a line of separationtherebetween for securing the parts together, comprising a keeper to beaflixed to the wall portion of one of the separable parts, a latchingunit on an exterior surface of the wall portion of the other separablepart including a cup member formed of an integral sheet metal stampinghaving marginal flanges disposed in a common plane adapted to be mountedflush against said exterior surface and having a base panel portionspaced inwardly from said plane paralleling the same and side and endwall portions collectively defining an outwardly opening well extendinginwardly from said common plane and elongated along a major axisparalleling the plane of separation, a movable latch member of narrowerlength than said well nested in said well, said latch member having anouter surface substantially paralleling said base panel portion andlocated adjacent said common plane, means intercoupling saidlatch memberwith said base panel portion slidably supporting said latch member inassembled relation with said base panel portion for rectilinear movementalong the major axis of said well between a latching position and arelease position displaced longitudinally from said latching position,and said latch member including an integral catch element projectingtherefrom through said base panel portion into selected alignment withsaid keeper for interlocking engagementtherewith when said latch memberis in said latching position and said separable container parts are inclosed condition and for releasing said keeper therefrom when said latchmember is moved to said release position.

4. A combined latch and lock as defined in claim 3, wherein said welland said latch member are in the configuration of a rectangular solid,said latch member and well being of substantially corresponding widthtransversely of said major axis and the length of said well beingsubstantially greater than the length of said latch member, and saidmarginal flanges defining an integral rectangular closed frame boundingthe outer entrance to said well. I

5. A combined latch and lock as defined in claim 4, wherein said wallportions of said separable parts in the region of said latching unit andkeeper are of comparable selected thickness having interior and exteriorsurfaces, the wall portion adjacent said latching unit having an openingtherethrough sized to accommodate portions of said cup member definingsaid Well in nested relation therein, the depth of said wellcorresponding substantially to the thickness of said wall portionwhereby said base panel portion lies substantially flush with theinterior surface of said wall portion when said marginal flanges aredisposed flush against the exterior surface thereof, and said keeperbeing secured against the interior surface of the other of said wallportions.

6. A combined latch and lock as defined in claim 5, wherein said latchmember comprises a latch housing formed of an integral sheet metalstamping having a boxlike body including an outer rectangular panel andinwardly projecting side and end walls at the perimeter thereofextending at substantially right angles to the plane of said outerpanel, said base panel having elongated slots therein paralleling saidmajor axis, one of said sides including bendable tabs extending throughone of said slots in said base panel and being bent thereunder and theother of said sides including a bendable tab and an angle shapedextension defining said catch element.

7. A combined latch and lock as defined in claim 6, wherein said latchmember includes an integral disc-like member journaled therein forming acombined key barrel and bolt member, said disc member having a circularflange along the major portion of the perimeter thereof at one side ofsaid disc member slidably bearing against said base panel portion andinterrupted by a flat portion formed along a chord of said perimeter,said disc member having a key receiving opening therein for rotation ofthe same to selected locking and unlocking positions, said flat beingaligned parallel to said major axis of said well in said unlockingposition, and said base panel portion including an outwardly projectingintegral tab adjacent said circular flange disposed in the path ofuninterrupted portions of said disc member flange between the latchingand release positions thereof to prevent movement of said latchingmember toward unlatching position when said disc member is in lockingposition and to permit passage of said flat portion alongside said tabwhen said disc member is in unlocked position.

8. A combined latch and lock as defined in claim 7, wherein said keeperhas a terminal flange spaced inward- 1y of said interior surface of thewall portion associated therewith disposed in a plane lyingperpendicular thereto and having an elongated interlock slot in saidflange portion, and said catch element extending from one side of saidlatch member through an elongated slot in said base panel portion andterminating in a hook shaped catch tongue lying in a plane parallelingthe plane of said interior surface of said wall portions disposed toextend through said interlock slot when said latch member is in releaseposition and said separable parts are drawn into closed position, andsaid hook portion having a nose disposed to interlock with portions ofsaid keeper flange when said latch member is shifted to latchingposition to prevent relative separation of said separable parts.

9. A combined latch and lock as defined in claim 3, wherein said latchmember includes an integral disc-like member journaled therein forming acombined key barrel and bolt member, said disc member having a circularflange along the major portion of the perimeter thereof at one side ofsaid disc member slidably bearing against said base panel portion andinterrupted by a flat portion formed along a chord of said perimeter,said disc member having a key receiving opening therein for rotation ofthe same to selected locking and unlocking positions, said flat beingaligned parallel to said major axis of said well in said unlockingposition, and said base panel portion including an outwardly projectingintegral tab adjacent said circular flange disposed in the path ofuninterrupted portions of said disc member flange between the latchingand release positions thereof to prevent unlatching movement of saidlatching member toward release position when said disc member is inlocking position and to permit passage of said flat portion alongsidesaid tab during such unlatching movement when said disc member is inunlocked position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,163,002 12/1915 Goddard 2921023,212,304 10/1965 Feinberg -71 3,245,236 4/1966 Atkinson 7071 MARVIN A.CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

E. J. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner.

1. A COMBINED LATCH AND LOCK ADPATED TO BE MOUNTED ON FIRST AND SECONDWALL PORTIONS OF SEPARABLE PARTS OF A CONTAINER ADJACENT A LINE OFSEPARATION THEREBETWEEN FOR SECURING THE PARTS TOGETHER, COMPRISING AKEEPER TO BE AFFIXED TO THE FIRST WALL PORTION, SAID SECOND WALL PORTIONHAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH BOUNDED BY INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SURFACESOF SAID SECOND WALL PORTION. A LATCHING UNIT ON SAID SECOND WALL PORTIONINCLUDING A CUP MEMBER FORMED OF AN INTEGRAL SHEET METAL STAMPING HAVINGMARGINAL FLANGES DISPOSED IN A COMMON PLANE TO BE MOUNTED FLUSH AGAINSTSAID EXTERIOR SURFACE AND HAVING SIDE, END AND BASE PANEL PORTIONSCOLLECTIVELY DEFINING AN OUTWARDLY OPENING WELL EXTENDING INWARDLYTHROUGH SAID OPENING IN NESTED RELATION THEREIN FROM SAID COMMON PLANEAND ELONGATED ALONG A MAJOR AXIS PARALLELING THE PLANE OF SEPARATION,SAID BASE PANEL PORTION GENERALLY PARALLELING SAID COMMON PLANE ANDBEING SPACED INWARDLY THEREFROM A DISTANCE CORRESPONDING TO THETHICKNESS OF SAID SECOND WALL PORTION DISPOSING SAID BASE PANEL PORTIONSUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH SAID INTERIOR SURFACE, A MOVABLE LATCH MEMBEROF NARROWER LENGTH THAN SAID WELL NESTED IN SAID WELL MEANS SLIDABLYMOUNTING SAID LATCH MEMBER IN SAID WELL FOR RECTILINEAR MOVEMENT ALONGTHE MAJOR AXIS OF SAID WELL BETWEEN A LATCHING POSITION AND A RELEASEPOSITION DISPLACED LONGITUDINALLY FROM SAID LATCHING POSITION, AND SAIDLATCH MEMBER HAVING CATCH MEANS PROJECTING INTO SELECTED ALIGNMENT WITHSAID KEEPER FOR INTERLOCKING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH WHEN SAID LATCH MEMBERIS IN SAID LATCHING POSITION AND SAID SEPARABLE CONTAINER PARTS ARE INCLOSED CONDITION AND FOR RELEASING SAID KEEPER THERE FROM WHEN SAIDLATCH MEMBER IS MOVED TO SAID RELEASE POSITION.